Altered Motor Gamma Activity and Hemispheric Lateralisation Reflect Perinatal Maturity in Preterm Children during Motor Control

Preterm birth, defined as delivery before 37 weeks of gestation, is associated with alterations in brain development and an increased likelihood of motor difficulties, with effects that often persist across childhood. However, the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms remain insufficiently understood. Oscillatory activity in the primary motor cortex is closely linked to motor execution and reflects the dynamic properties of cortical function, yet motor-related oscillations have rarely been examined directly in children born preterm. In this study, we investigated motor-induced gamma oscillations in school-aged children born preterm using magnetoencephalography (MEG). Eighteen children born preterm and nineteen age- and IQ-matched children born at full term (5 to 7 years old) completed a child-friendly dominant-hand finger movement task during recording with a child-customised MEG system. The preterm group exhibited significantly slower response times and approximately twenty-two per cent weaker contralateral gamma power compared with their full-term peers. They also showed reduced hemispheric lateralisation, indicating greater bilateral cortical engagement. Motor-related gamma power and lateralisation indices were positively associated with perinatal factors and motor performance scores. These findings suggest that attenuated gamma activity and altered lateralisation patterns in children born preterm may relate to delayed maturation of motor cortical circuits and variations in callosal development, potentially affecting interhemispheric communication and motor processing efficiency. This study provides new insight into the neurophysiological basis of motor development following preterm birth. Significance StatementPreterm birth is relatively common and is associated with an increased likelihood of motor challenges that may continue into later development, yet the neurophysiological bases of these difficulties remain insufficiently understood. This study uses paediatric MEG to directly measure motor-related brain oscillations in school-aged children born preterm. We report reduced contralateral gamma power and diminished hemispheric lateralisation, both of which were associated with perinatal factors and motor performance. These oscillatory patterns may reflect delayed maturation of motor cortical circuits and variations in interhemispheric connectivity. Identifying such neural signatures may support earlier detection of emerging motor vulnerabilities and inform the development of targeted supports for children born preterm.